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B-17F 42-3300 Info Sign

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Details:

On the east side of the road next to the street sign.


Marker

A rectangular panel containing information about the plane crash of the B-17F #42-3300 and the fate of its crew. The panel is printed in color and is written in French. The plaque also features the airplane illustration as well as the photos of the crew members with captions.

Monument Text:

LE 3 SEPTEMBRE 1943,

CHUTE D'UN BOMBARDIER

B17 FORTRESS F45 DE L' US AIR FORCE

 

Partie de la base anglaise de Kimbolton pour une mission de bombardement à Romilly-sur-Seine,
la forteresse américaine quitte sa formation à 80 km au sud-ouest de Paris et est touchée par la «Flak» au moteur numéro 2 au-dessus du Fidelaire (27). L'appareil s'enflamme puis se disloque en vol. L'équipage est composé de dix aviateurs, d'une moyenne d'âge de 23 ans. Le lieutenant Julius KRAFFT et le sergent Donald ARMSTRONG ont été retrouvés morts dans les morceaux de l'épave. Frank FRYDRYK s'est tué en atterrissant dans les arbres.
Le sergent Mac KEEGAN s'est fracturé une jambe et a été soigné par les Allemands.
Les autres aviateurs ont pu sauter en parachute et ont été pris en charge par la résistance. Ils ont tous été arrêtés à Paris ou à la frontière espagnole. Faits prisonniers de guerre dans des camps en Allemagne et en Autriche, ils ont été libérés en avril 1945.

 

 

English translation:

 

SEPTEMBER 3, 1943,

FALL OF A BOMBER

B17 FORTRESS F45 OF THE US AIR FORCE

 

Left the English base of Kimbolton for a bombing mission in Romilly-sur-Seine,

the American fortress left its formation 80 km south-west of Paris and was hit by the "Flak" on engine number 2 over Le Fidelaire (27). The aircraft burst into flames and broke up in flight. The crew was composed of ten airmen, with an average age of 23 years. Lieutenant Julius KRAFFT and Sergeant Donald ARMSTRONG were found dead in the wreckage. Frank FRYDRYK was killed when he landed in the trees.

Sergeant Mac KEEGAN broke his leg and was treated by the Germans.

The other airmen were able to parachute out and were taken care of by the resistance. They were all arrested in Paris or at the Spanish border. They were taken as prisoners of war in camps in Germany and Austria and were liberated in April 1945.

 

 

Photo captions with translation:

 

Julius KRAFFT

(Lieutenant, pilote)

27 ans, de Denver,

Colorado

 

Norman TOFT

(Lieutenant, co-pilote)

23 ans, de Fallon,

Nevada

 

Morrison NOLAN

(Sergeant, mecanicien)

19 ans, de Galveston,

Texas

 

Thomas PFEIFER

(Lieutenant, bombardier)

23 ans, de Maywood,

Illinois

 

Ronald JACOBS

(Lieutenant, navigateur)

26 ans, de Canton, Ohio

 

Hugh MAC KEEGAN

(Sergeant, operateur radio)

22 ans, de Brooklyn, New

York

 

Frank FRYDRYK

(Sergeant, mitrailleur)

29 ans, de New Haven,

Connecticut

 

Donald ARMSTRONG

(Sergeant, mitrailleur)

de « sabord »)

20 ans, Ohio

 

Delbert W KLUMP

23 ans, de Newport,

Kentucky

ROBERT VANDEGRIFF

22 ans, de Cincinnati,

Ohio

(Sergeants, mitrailleurs de

sabord et de queue)

Julius KRAFFT

(Lieutenant, pilot)

27 years old, from Denver,

Colorado

 

Norman TOFT

(Lieutenant, co-pilot)

23 years old, from Fallon,

Nevada

 

Morrison NOLAN

(Sergeant, mechanic)

19 years old, from Galveston,

Texas

 

Thomas PFEIFER

(Lieutenant, Bombardier)

Age 23, of Maywood,

Illinois

 

Ronald JACOBS

(Lieutenant, Navigator)

26 years old, from Canton, Ohio

 

Hugh MAC KEEGAN

(Sergeant, radio operator)

22 years old, from Brooklyn,

New York

 

Frank FRYDRYK

(Sergeant, Machine Gunner)

Age 29, from New Haven,

Connecticut

 

Donald ARMSTRONG

(Sergeant, Machine Gunner)

of " sabord")

20 years old, Ohio

 

Delbert W KLUMP

age 23, from Newport,

Kentucky

ROBERT VANDEGRIFF

22, from Cincinnati,

Ohio

(Sergeants, gunners of

and tail gunners)

Commemorates:

People:

Donald Burnett Armstrong

Frank Peter Frydryk

Ronald William Jacobs

Julius Walter Krafft

Delbert William Lump

Hugh McKeegan

Morrison T. Nolan

Thomas Donald Peifer

Norman Eugene Toft

Robert A. Vandegriff

Units:

379th Bomber Group

524th Bomber Squadron, 379th Bomb Group, Heavy

US Army Air Corps

Wars:

WWII

Other images :